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2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

166 Ranked Colleges
10,643 Degrees Awarded
$31,762 Avg Salary
Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 48,597 people earned their degree in political science and government, making the major the 21st most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, political science and government graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,977 and had an average of $22,822 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 11,230 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,775 and $23,806 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 10,643 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 166 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in political science and government. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent political science and government programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the political science and government program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Political Science & Government Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 131 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k list, Duke has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $4,150 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Duke University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Duke University

#2

Washington and Lee University

Lexington, Virginia

Out of the 166 schools in the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington and Lee University landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Lexington, Virginia, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Washington and Lee, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $4,718 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Washington and Lee University.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Washington and Lee

#3

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

Out of the 166 schools in the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #3 spot on the list. Vanderbilt University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 97 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt is $8,086 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Vanderbilt Political Science & Government Report

#4

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wake Forest University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wake Forest University is a medium-sized school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that handed out 146 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Wake Forest University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wake Forest University is $12,004 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Wake Forest University

#5

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 362 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $8,528 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UF.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Florida Political Science & Government Report

#6

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 182 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at William & Mary, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $11,721 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full William & Mary Political Science & Government Report

#7

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 339 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

UNC Chapel Hill also took the #7 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $11,060 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UNC Chapel Hill.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

With a ranking of #8, Florida International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. FIU is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 292 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,298 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend FIU.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full FIU Political Science & Government Report

#9

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Florida State University is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 418 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Florida State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State University is $10,583 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Florida State University

#10

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida

University of Central Florida came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Central Florida is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 331 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UCF also did well on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Florida is $11,161 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Central Florida Political Science & Government Report

#11

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

With a ranking of #11, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Virginia is a public institution located in Charlottesville, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 112 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k list, University of Virginia has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia is $14,671 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Virginia Political Science & Government Report

#12

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 90 students in 2019-2020.

Emory also took the #6 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Emory is $19,672 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Emory

University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is located in Tampa, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 196 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $9,809 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at USF Tampa

#14

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

The University of West Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Pensacola, Florida, this fairly large public school awarded 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,511 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend The University of West Florida.

Read more about Political Science & Government at UWF

#15

University of Richmond

University of Richmond, Virginia

With a ranking of #15, University of Richmond did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Richmond, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 52 students in 2019-2020.

URichmond did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend URichmond is $12,923 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Political Science & Government at URichmond

#16

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #16, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. North Carolina State University is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 145 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

NC State also took the #16 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $15,084 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend NC State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full NC State Political Science & Government Report

#17

Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina

Citadel Military College of South Carolina ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Citadel Military College of South Carolina is a small school located in Charleston, South Carolina that handed out 49 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, The Citadel also did well on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend The Citadel is $15,483 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at The Citadel

#18

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. UGA is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 208 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

UGA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $14,748 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UGA.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UGA Political Science & Government Report

#19

American Public University System

Charles Town, West Virginia

American Public University System landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. American Public University System is a private for-profit institution located in Charles Town, West Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 60 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

American Military University excels when it comes to political science quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend American Military University is $8,461 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full American Military University Political Science & Government Report

#20

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida

Florida Gulf Coast University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. FGCU is located in Fort Myers, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 40 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Florida Gulf Coast University is $12,344 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Political Science & Government at FGCU

#21

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

With a ranking of #21, University of North Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of North Florida is a fairly large school located in Jacksonville, Florida that handed out 103 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UNF is $10,006 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UNF Political Science & Government Report

#22

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. This large school is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 194 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Virginia Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $19,067 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Virginia Tech

#23

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, Georgia

University of North Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #23. This fairly large school is located in Dahlonega, Georgia, and it awarded 59 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,169 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UNG.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of North Georgia

#24

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

With a ranking of #24, Florida Atlantic University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Florida Atlantic University is a large school located in Boca Raton, Florida that handed out 152 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida Atlantic University is $11,786 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Florida Atlantic University Political Science & Government Report

#25

Augusta University

Augusta, Georgia

Augusta University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Augusta, Georgia, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Augusta University is $12,274 for southeast region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Augusta University

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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